Anil Kakodkar

Anil Kakodkar
अनिल काकोडकर
Born (1943-11-11) 11 November 1943
Barwani, India
Residence Mumbai, India
Nationality Indian
Fields Mechanical Engineering
Institutions Atomic Energy Commission of India
Department of Atomic Energy
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Alma mater Ruparel College
VJTI, University of Mumbai
University of Nottingham
Known for Smiling Buddha
Pokhran-II
Indian nuclear program
Notable awards Padma Shri (1998)
Padma Bhushan (1999)
Padma Vibhushan (2009)[1]

Anil Kakodkar (Marathi: अनिल काकोडकर; born 11 November 1943) is an Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer. He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay from 1996–2000. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, on 26 January 2009.

Apart from playing a major role in India's nuclear tests asserting sovereignty, Kakodkar champions India's self-reliance on thorium as a fuel for nuclear energy.

Early life

Kakodkar was born in 1943 (11 November 1943), in Barwani princely state (present day Madhya Pradesh state) to Kamala Kakodkar and Purushottam Kakodkar, both Gandhian freedom fighters. He had his early education at Barwani and at Khargone, until moving to Mumbai for post-matriculation studies.

Kakodkar graduated from Ruparel College, then from VJTI, University of Mumbai with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963. He joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1964. He obtained a master's degree in experimental stress analysis from the University of Nottingham in 1969.

Career

He joined the Reactor Engineering Division of the BARC and played a key role in design and construction of the Dhruva reactor, a completely original but high-tech project. He was a part of the core team of architects of India's Peaceful Nuclear Tests in 1974 and 1998. Further he has led the indigenous development in India's Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor Technology. He worked in the rehabilitation of the two reactors at Kalpakkam and the first unit at Rawatbhata, which at one stage were on the verge of being written off.

In 1996 he became Director of the BARC and since 2000 he is leading the Atomic Energy Commission of India and also is the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.

He has published over 250 scientific papers.

He believes that India should be self-reliant in energy, especially by use of the cheap national thorium resources. He continues to engage in designing the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor, that uses thorium-uranium 233 as the primary energy source with plutonium as the driver fuel. The unique reactor system, with simplified but safe technology, will generate 75 per cent of electricity from thorium.

Other positions

Dr. Kakodkar is a member of many boards, commissions, and other organizations. Some of them are:

Awards

National awards

Other awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 http://anilkakodkar.in/index.php/current-key-engagements
  3. ↑ http://rbi.org.in/scripts/AboutusDisplay.aspx#CB
  4. ↑ Kamat, Prakash (30 May 2010). "India will become energy-independent: Kakodkar". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "First Gomant Vibhushan award presented to Dr Anil Kakodkar". Target Goa. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2014.

External links

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